Golriz’s story

Golriz is an Iranian-Kiwi refugee, lucky to escape war and persecution as a child.

Her studies at Oxford, and her career as a lawyer in New Zealand and overseas, have focused on enforcing human rights and holding governments to account. Golriz worked for United Nations Tribunals as part of both defence (Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia) and prosecution (Cambodia) teams. Her work has also included restoring communities after war and human rights atrocities, particularly empowering women engaged in peace and justice initiatives.

In New Zealand, she has a successfully advocated on rights issues before the Supreme Court, she volunteers her skills to advocate for child rights, and most recently for family carers of disabled persons. She was part of the team that worked to prepare New Zealand’s non-governmental report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Golriz has longstanding involvement in refugee and migrant rights activism, and is a prominent member of the Iranian community.

She is active in both the legal and NGO communities, as reflected by her board memberships of: Action for Children & Youth Aotearoa; NZ Criminal Bar Association; NZ Centre for Human Rights Law & Policy; and Super Diverse Women (Superdiversity Centre for Law, Policy and Business)

Justice drives Golriz – 12 yrs of legal practice, including post-conflict trials of world leaders and in the NZ Supreme Court. Her child rights and international human rights work have required specialised government lobbying and training of Ministry staff in New Zealand and overseas.

Her expertise as a human rights and constitutional lawyer will help bring effective legislative solutions for social justice, climate and environmental issues.

Golriz made history as the first ever refugee to be sworn in as an MP.